The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public after a woman lost $25,000 to scammers posing as deputies in a jury duty scheme.
BEXAR COUNTY, Texas — The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents after a Bexar County woman lost $25,000 in a single day to a scammer claiming to be with the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said the woman was told she owed money because she had missed jury duty, a claim deputies say is false. Salazar believes this is the largest reported loss tied to this type of jury duty scam in Bexar County.
According to the sheriff, the scammer spoofed the sheriff’s office phone number, making it appear the call was coming directly from BCSO. The caller then sent a text message showing what appeared to be a warrant and used high-pressure tactics to keep the woman on the phone.
Salazar said the scammer told the woman she was under a gag order and could not contact family or friends. While still on the phone, she was directed to a convenience store, where she unknowingly purchased $25,000 worth of bitcoin, believing it was required to clear the warrant.
“The sheriff’s office will never do this,” Salazar said. “We won’t call you to tell you that you have a warrant. We’ll never call you to demand money over the phone. We don’t take bitcoin, Zelle, Venmo, or gift cards to clear a warrant. If you get a call like this, hang up.”
BCSO says it is working to help the woman recover her money. Officials also stressed that if someone misses jury duty in Bexar County, the county sends a letter by mail outlining the next steps, never a phone call demanding payment.
Residents who receive a suspicious call are urged to hang up immediately, verify information independently, and report it to BCSO dispatch at (210) 335-6000. Scam and fraud awareness information is also available by emailing SCORE@bexar.org.
Officials encourage residents to share the warning to help prevent others from becoming victims.